Jamie Murphy lifts Scotland spirits with late winner

Scotland Under-21 (0) 1 Belarus Under-21 (0) 0

Squeezing home the winner: Scotland's Jamie Murphy scores in added time at St Mirren Park against Belarus Photo: PA

By Ewing Grahame

6:30AM BST 12 Oct 2009

Less than two hours after the depressing performance by Scotland's Z team in the biggest non-event to hit Japan since Bob Dylan's Live At Budokan album, the next generation of native talent provided a much-needed boost for the national game.

It wasn't so much taking all three points, which took Billy Stark's side to the summit of Group 10 on goal difference. Nor was the customer satisfaction solely down to the dramatic denouement, thrilling though that undoubtedly was. No, it was the manner of the victory which provided the partisan crowd with reasons to be cheerful after 18 months of almost unmitigated misery for Scottish football at both club and representative level.

What they witnessed at St Mirren Park was a surprisingly mature performance from the home side, which allied patience and intelligence to a relentless determination to succeed.

The success was all the more pleasing in the light of a cynical display of anti-football from the visitors, who proved so well practised in the black arts of shirt-tugging, wrestling, time-wasting and simulation that a DVD of this encounter could serve as a Fifa training manual for match officials.

Rusmir Mrkovic, the Bosnian referee who was in charge on Saturday, would certainly benefit from reviewing the action and reflecting on the flaws in his decision making.

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Burnley's Kevin McDonald missed an opportunity in the first half, heading wide from six yards after being picked out by a cross from Aston Villa winger Barry Bannan, the most inventive Scot on view.

It seemed a costly miss, especially as the impressive Illia Haurylau in the Belarus goal went on to defy Stark's men with a string of fine saves.

To their credit, however, while Scotland increased the pressure as the game progressed, they did not resort to Route One desperation and the decisive goal, which arrived halfway through the four minutes of added time, was a testament to that.

Bannan, with a precise pass, switched the play from left flank to right, Chris Maguire immediately transferred the ball to Paul Caddis and the captain supplied substitute Jamie Murphy.

The Motherwell striker initially appeared to have taken the wrong option when he went outside his marker to the byeline but, from the most acute of angles, he produced a shot of such accuracy and venom that even Haurylau was unable to keep it out.

For Manchester United midfielder David Gray, who had an accomplished 90 minutes, the occasion also presented him with another opportunity to underline his credentials to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Currently on loan to Plymouth Argyle, the 21 year-old's contract at Old Trafford expires at the end of this season and he's anxious to be retained.

"I regard Darren Fletcher as an inspiration," he said. "Darren came through the ranks and is particularly good when it comes to helping the younger players: he also probably pays me a bit more attention because we're from the same part of the country.

"My deal at Plymouth ends just before Christmas and I hope that my displays there and for the Under-21s can help me kick on at United."